Photolytic ring-opening polymerization of phosphorus-bridged [1]ferrocenophane coordinating to an organometallic fragment

Manganese and tungsten complexes bearing a strained phosphorus-bridged [1]ferrocenophane were prepared by reaction of their appropriate THF complexes with (1,1'-ferrocenediyl)phenylphosphine (1). The monomer complexes [Mn(eta (5)-C5H4R)(CO)(2)(1)] (R = Me, H) and [W(CO)(5)(1)] thus obtained were found to undergo a ring-opening polymerization (ROP) upon irradiation with UV-vis light for 10 min in THF or acetonitrile. Because they polymerize in the same manner as the free ligand 1, with the metallic fragment intact, the photopolymerization reaction is considered applicable to a variety of organometallic fragments bearing 1 as a ligand.